Oil-burning apparatus



1. A. BISHOP. y OIL BURNING'APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 9, I920.

' 1,420,957.V Patented June 27, 1922.4

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starke .erica rarest OIL-BURNING APPARATUS.

Specicaton of Letters Eatent.

rateatea June at, 1922.

Application idseptember 9, le20. serial No. 409,220.

To all whom if may concer-vt Be it known that l, JOHN A. BISHOP, a

Y citizen of the United States, residing at Clearwater, in the county of Pinellas and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Oil-Burning Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the'folT lowing to be a full, clear, and .exact description ofv the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to vwhich it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the art of burning liquid fuel, more particularly heavy oils.

lts object is to secure complete combustion of a fuel oil. l

It consists of a system adapted in its entirety to preliminarily heat heavy oil and thenby further treatment transform it into a gas or vapor, free from liquid spray or drops, andto burn said gas as'soon as it has been generated. lt-also consists'of various subcombinations as will be more fully set forth in the ensuing description and defined in the appende-d claims.

'In the drawing: `Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a plant er system embodying my invention; Figure 2 is a diagram. showing the disposition of the burner on the end of the fuel pipe disposed within a fire chamber. A

According -to this invention it is contemplated that fuel oil shall be drawn from a suitable storage reservoir of large capacity, into a p-reliminary heater adapted to contain a relatively small volume of oil in order that the same may be quickly heated; that the preliminarily heated'oil shall be pumped or otherwise fed from said preliminary heater through a straining and sett-ling tank wherein the sediment, or heaviest constituents of the fuel oil, may separate from the more fluid portions and the latter flow upward through a strainer oriller into a retort heated to a relatively high temperature, say 350D to 100o F., by steam or other hot aeriform fluid, gas generated in the retort flowing thence to a burner disposed within the fire chamber of a boiler, or. wherever it may be desiredto burn said gas. e

In the drawings, 1 indicatesa preliminary heater preferably divided into two parts by a central partition 2, each part containing a steam heating coil.; VA pipe 3 isshown adapted to conduct oil from a storage lreservoir (not illustrated) into said heater, and said pipe 3 may, preferably, communicate with two branches 4 and 5, each controlled by a valve 6 or 7, said branches leading, respectively, into the heater compartments 1n and 1b. F rom the bottom of each heating compartment 1d and 1" extend sediment pipes V8 and 9 each controlled by a valve 8a, 9,`and connecting with a drain pipe 10. The particular form and arrangement of the preliminary oil heater, however, is not material to my invention, the essential factor with respect thereto being that said heater shall be constructed so as to heat relatively small volumes of oil for purposes of conserving heat; the particular means, therefore, for heating the oil in relatively small volumes may be varied widelyl without departing from the spirit of my invention. An auX- iliary boiler is illustrated at 11, as an eX- ample of a means whereby heat may be developed fory heating the oil in said preliminaryk heater', steam coils 12 and 120: being shown whereby heat may be exchanged between steam drawn from the boiler 11 and the oilin said heater.v

Numeral 20 indicates a separating tank, preferably insulated by a ycovering 20, adapted to receive heated oil from the preliminary heaters through a pipe 21, controlled by valves 21a and 21", said pipe being Vconnected with two branches connected at 22 and 28 with the respective heating chambers 1V and 1b and controlled-by suitable valves (not shown). Pipe 21 enters the lower portion of separator 20 and discharges oildownward thereinto through openings 24.' A pump, shown diagrammatically at 25, feeds oil through said pipe 21 from one or both of the heaters to the separator 20. Above the end of pipe 21 in separator 20 is a filter or strainer 26, through which the lighter, more volatile heated oil passes upward, while the-sedimentI and viscous heavy matter tends to settle in the bottom of the separator, whence it may be drained away through pipe 27 controlled by valve 27a, and be conducted to any suitable receptacle 'or place of use.

The oil liltered through the strainer 26 passes upward through the pipe 30, controlled by valve 30, to the pipe 3l which delivers to the interior of a retort or fluid tight chamber 40, which is disposed within a Huid tight casing or drum 50. Said retort 40 has Within it a heating drum 4l, the ends of which are connected by pipes L2 and a?) With the space bet-Ween the outer Wall of said retort 40 and said casing `or drum 50. rlfhe said retort 40 is filled with Wires, small rods, tubes or fragments or" metal 44, or may be lconstructed With its interior space occupied by any suitable bodies, whereby the oil :ted to the interior of said retort is so broken up as to present an exceedingly large evaporating surface. Communicating With the interior oit the casing or drum 50 is a steam pipe 5l having a valve 51, and connected to a main 52 controlled by a valve 52a. Said main 52 is also connected by a branch 5-1, having a valve 54, to the branch pipe 3l, which conducts oil into the interior oi' said retort or drum 40. The steam pipe or main 52 is shown as deriving its steam from the steam space of a boiler 60, indicated conventionally. I

Communicating With the lower end of retort or fluid tight chamber 40 directly opposite the oil pipe 3l, is a gas pipe 6l leading to a burner or gas outlet nozzle k62 said burner or nozzle 62 being of any suitable type but preferably having a gas outlet Or outlets restricted in size With respect to the size ot' the gas pipe delivering the gas to said burner. A suitable pipe 63 controlled by a valve 63q is arranged to carry off condensed Water and sediment from the heating drum 50 to a boiler, feed Water heater (not shown), or elsewhere. The drum 5,0 is preferably incased With a heat insulating coatA 4ing ycomposition 641- ot any approved construction, such as an asbestos or magnesia mixture.

It' desired, the small auxiliary boiler 1l or other auxiliary steam generator may be utilized not only for the purpose of supplying steam for the coils of the preliminary heaters lfL and lb but also for the purpose ot providing steam to start the burner 62, as will be presently explained, the steam space of said boiler ll being connected by pipe 65 with the steam main 52, a valve 65a controlling the passage of steam.

Connected with the pipe 2l, which conducts oil irom the preliminary heater to the separator 20, is a by-p'ass pipe 70, from which two branch pipes 7l and 72 controlled by valves 7la and 72a, lead to the ychambers ln and lb. All oil fed by the pump 25 that is in exess of the oil required by the retort, l() in the process of generating gas is returned by the pipe and branches 7l and 72 to the preliminary heater, the quantity of oil ted to the retort being thereby automatically regulated.

The invention .is based upon the assumption that liquids cannot be burned While in a liquid state but must first be converted into a gaseous state7 either at the instant of combustion, or some time previously thereto, and that completeness of combustion can most surely be achieved by converting the liquid into gas an appropriate time before attempting to burn it. Liquids, as is well known, may be atomized or broken into a very iine spray, mixed With air or oxygen, and ired, the tiring gasifying at least partially the line liquid particles so that flame is produced. In my invention it is the intention `to gasiiy a liquid hydrocarbon in a retort or other closed chamber and conduct the gas produced to a burner so that said hydrocarbon issues `from the burner in :the form of gas which may be ignited and completely consumed so as to extract from it all possible heat.

In operating the apparatus described the oil Will first be heated in one of the preliminary heaters and pumped through the separator 20 into the retort 40, at first only a small uantity of oil being admitted through pipe 31. Steam generated in the auxiliary boiler 1l is conducted through pipes 65 and 54E into the pipe 3l under high pressure, the said steam breaking up the oil in the retort among the filling material into tine particles, imparting high heat to it and forcing it along through the pipe 6l and out through the burner 62 in a partly gase ous and partly finely divided liquid state Coming from the burner in an atomized and partially gasitied condition it may be ignited in the lire chamber beneath the boiler. This process may be kept up and the fuel burned as an atomized and partially gasitied oil until the heat generated in the re chamber has developed a. high steam pressure in the boiler 60. lhen the pressure in the boiler is high lenough to attain a temperature of 3500 to 400O F. steam will be admitted through the main 52 and pipe 5l into the heating drum 50, whence it Will lill the inner drum 4l Within the retort- 40 as Well as the outer drum 50 surrounding it. With la gage pressure of 150 pounds, a temperature of 365o F. may be obtained Within the drum 5l, Which is generally sufficient to vaporize the preheated fuel oil Within the retort 40, which presents a very large evaporation surface by reason of the presence of the filling material. Steam may now be cut of? trom the branch pipe 54, and pure oil gas then issues through the pipe 6l and from the burner 62, the combustion ot which is complete.

Should carbon form Within the retort 40 or other sediment or viscous matter clog the retort, steam may be blown therethrough from the branch pipes 54 and 3l for the purpose of cleaning out said retort and the gas pipe 6l. The entrance of the steam to retort Ll0 being opposite the gas outlet 6l, it will be clear that the cleansing effect of the steam Will be thorough.

It will be understood that all steam pipes and other pipes for conducting heated fluids may be covered with heat insulating material, and that allk containers of heated fluids may be similarly insulated, as indicated in the drawings with respect to the casing or drum 50 and separator tank 20. It will also be understood that the retort 40 and casing 50 ymusty be made of suflicient strength to withstand the high pressures to which they are subjected.

It is contemplated that filler material such as wires, small tubes,`or other objects 61a adapted to subdivide a body of fluid flowing through thev gas pipe 61 shall be inserted or formed in a part of the pipe 6l that is within the combustion chamber where the fuel is to be burned and shall be so disposed as to be highly heated by the burning gases or vapors issuing from the burner 62. The presence of the bodies 61a Vcauses the gases, vapors and liquids that may pass through said pipe under the pressure of'steam admitted to the retort 40 in starting, to be so divided as to present a large surface to the heat of combustion in thepcombustion chamber and speedily effect complete gasification of all the oil passing therethrough, so that v it issues from the burner in gaseous form.

Furthermore, in using the system with low pressure boilers that may not afford suflicient steam pressure in the easing 50 to completely convert the oil in the retort 40 into y gas, such unconverted liquid oil as may enter the gas pipe 61 will be converted to gas within that portion of the pipe 61 that is within the combustion chamber and contains the wires or filler material 61a.

Figure 2 is a diagram of the disposition of a burner 62 and of the gas pipe 61 and liller 61a in the combustion chamber of a horizontal boiler. The pipe 61, in this embodiment, enters the front of the combustion chamber, extends to the rear, and has its burner nozzle recurved so as to direct a stream of gas or vapor, and atomized liquid oil, if liquid oil be present, toward the front in a direction opposite that in which the incoming air for supporting combustion moves. After ignition the hotburning gases eddying and swirling owing to the stream of ignited gases and vapors mingling with the air currents, heat the pipe 61 in closing the bodies 61a to such a high temperature that all oil will be converted into gas or vapor before it issues from the burner orifice.

Having described my invention so as to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In apparatus of the class described, an air tight casing, a retort within said casing spaced from the wall thereof, a heating .Cllllm Within said retort, said heating drum being in communication with the space within said casing around said retort', a pipe communicating with said ret-ort'ada-l'oted -to admit oil thereinto, a gas pipe leading therefrom, and means adaptedto admit heated aeriform fluid under pressure 'into said casing. l

2. In apparatus of the class described, a fluid tight casing adapted to confine hot fluid under pressure, a retort within said casing, `filler devices within the retort for producing a large4 heating surface therein, a pipe for admitting fuel oilinto said yretort through said casing atr itsupper'end, a gas pipe leading from lthe lower end of said retort, and means for admitting heated aeriform fluid under pressure into Vthe casing surrounding the retort. I

3. In apparatus of the class described, a retort, filler devices for producing a large heating surface within said retort, a conduit for admitting fuel oil into said retort at one end, a conduit for admitting heated aeriforrn fluid into said retort at the same end, and a gas conduit leading from the retort at a point opposite the inlet for the 'aeriforni fluid. Y

4:. In apparatusof` the class described, ja retort and means for rheating it, a pipev for admitting fuel oil into said retort at one end, a gas pipe leading from the opposite end of said retort, filler devices within said retort for producing` a large heating surface there'- in, and a pipe connected to theioil inlet pipe adapted to admit heated aerifform fluid un# der pressure.

In apparatus of the class described,` a fluid tight casing adapted to confine yhot fluid under pressure. a retort within said casing' spaced from the wall thereof, means for admitting heated aeriform fluid under pressure into said casing` a pipe for admitting fuel oil into said retort at one end, a

pipe connected to the oil inlet pipe adapted to admit heated aeriformfluid under pressure inte said retort through said oil inlet.

6. In apparatus of the class described, a retort, a fluidtight casing surrounding said retort and adapted to confine hot fluid under pressure, means for admitting a heated aeriforni fluid into said casing, an oil heater, means for conducting oil from said heater to said retort, a burner located outside of the casing and a gas pipe leading from said retort to said burner.

7. In apparatus of the class described, a retort, a fluid tight casing surrounding said retort and adapted to confine hot fluid under pressure, means for admitting a heated aeriforrn fluid to said casing, an oil heater, a separator, means for conducting oil from sai-d heater through said separator to said y retort, a burner located outside of the easing V4and a gas pipe -leading from said retort kto said burner. Y

8. In apparatus of the Class described, a `retort and means for heating it, an oil heater, a valved conduit connecting said oil heater .and said retort, a pump for forcing oil Lthrough said conduit to said retort, a ley-.pass pipe connecting said heater with said conduit on 4the delivery side of the pump, a burner, and a gas outlet pipe leading from the retort `to said burner.

`9. In apparatus -of the class described, a retort, a lfluid tight easing surrounding said retort, .an .oil heater, a valved conduit eon- -neoting said oil lheater with said retort, means for admitting aeriform fluid under pressure into said easing, `a burner, a gas pipe leadingfrom said retort to said burner, a pump for forcing -oil through said valved conduit, and a by-pass pipe lea-ding from said conduit on the delivery7 side of said pump to said oil heater.

10. The `combination of an oil heater, a steam generator for supplying heat to said oil heater, a fluid tight easing, a retort within said easing spaced from the Wall thereof, means for conducting oil from said heater to said retort, a steam pipe leading from the steam space of said steam generator into the oil pipe leading into the retort, a conduit for conducting steam to the interior of the easing, a burner and a gas pipe leading from the retort to the burner.

ll. The combination of a main steam generator, an auxiliary steam generator, a retort, a Huid tight easing surrounding said retort and spaced therefrom, means for supplying steam from the main generator to said easing, means for supplying steam from the .auxiliary generator to said retort, mea-ns for admitting oil 4into said retort, and a gas pipe leading from said retort to the combustion Chamber of said main generator.

l2. The combination of a main and anl auxiliary boiler, an yoil heater and means for supplying heat thereto from the auxiliary boiler, a fiuid tightV casing, a retort Within said easing, a conduit for conducting oil from the oil heater into `said retort, a gas outlet pipe leading from said retort to ythe combustion chamber of said main boiler, a steam main connected with the steam spaoe of both boilers, branch :pipes leading from said main into said easing .and said retort, respectively, and suitable valves for controlli-n the oassage of steam from either said retort, a `conduit for admitting steam into said retort, a gas outlet pipe connected With said retort at a point opposite the inlet of said steam` conduit, a Combustion chamber, said gas outlet pipe extending into e said combustion chamber and discharging thereinto, and said gaspipe inelosing filling material in that part which is Within the Combustion Chamber.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

JOHN A. BISHOP. 

